I Can See the Sword’s Memories – Chapter 73

Chapter 73: The Lord of Ten Thousand Blades (3)

The mana that had dominated the area began to fade. The biting cold of winter and the sharp, oppressive aura radiating from the small girl both dissipated.

In moments of crisis, the body instinctively draws on what it is most familiar with. Was this ambush staged to observe the origins of my swordsmanship? If so, they had underestimated me. Theo and Flora didn’t even need to draw their swords.

I had handled it entirely on my own.

I shot a glance at my friends, who were still frozen in shock. We were in the heart of enemy territory. Breaking character now wasn’t an option.

‘How do I proceed from here?’

There was no predetermined solution to this. It felt like walking a tightrope, but in such moments, boldness was key.

I let a look of intense displeasure creep onto my face. With one hand resting lightly on my sword, I swept back my hair with the other.

My gaze remained fixed. It was directed toward the presence I had sensed when the intruders tore through the tent.

“What is the meaning of this?”

My voice carried mana. It wasn’t loud, but the subtle vibrations ensured it was felt by everyone around me.

The tone was different from my usual speech, yet it didn’t feel unnatural—like slipping into a perfectly tailored outfit.

Stepping over the fallen intruders, I left the tent. The signs of battle were evident.

Though no clashing weapons had been heard, the chaotic ripples of power had left their mark. Naturally, all eyes were on me.

I walked forward calmly, enduring the stares of hundreds of onlookers. Behind me, Theo and Flora quickly collected themselves and followed. Their hands rested on their swords, projecting an aura of readiness.

The clashing force of their auras stirred up a small storm, sending dust swirling around me like a protective veil. With the storm at my back, I stopped a few steps away from a man standing in the distance.

It was then that the man spoke.

“You’re no ordinary rabble, it seems. Your stride, the way you draw your sword… strangely familiar. Did you come from the Central Plains? Swordsmen from colder regions often draw their swords in a stance like that…”

His tone was casual, like he was asking if I’d had breakfast. But his words carried weight—he was certain I was a Reincarnator and was probing my origins.

I didn’t flinch. I simply responded, my words flowing naturally.

“The Central Plains martial world I know seems to differ from the one you’re referring to. Did you think sending people to ambush me would lead to a pleasant conversation?”

I didn’t deny his assumption but instead expressed my displeasure clearly. It was the right move. The man’s face broke into a broad smile.

“If I offended you, I apologize. But it was necessary. This is the cornerstone of a future nation. We can’t just let anyone in, can we?”

‘A nation is being built here…’

I had extracted a significant piece of information right from the start. If I hadn’t pretended to be a Reincarnator, it might have taken a long time to uncover this. While I felt satisfied internally, I kept my gaze fixed on the man.

He still carried an air of arrogance. To avoid escalating the situation, I should back off here. But I didn’t want to. The persona I was playing wouldn’t back down—they’d rather fight to the death than retreat.

I needed to leave a strong first impression. I drew my sword.

“You think you can build a nation with the dogs of the Empire lurking around? That’s a story they’d laugh at.”

“I won’t deny it. Most of the people who have come here fit that description. But you’re not so different from us, are you? You’re not using qi, are you? You’ve modified your techniques, replacing qi with mana. It must have been quite the effort to avoid the Empire’s gaze.”

Silence fell between us. This man wasn’t going to yield, not even an inch. His arrogance was grating. If I didn’t put him in his place here, it might complicate my plans moving forward.

‘Should I kill him…?’

I assessed our respective abilities. Victory seemed within my reach. While he likely wasn’t showing his full strength, I had hidden at least seventy percent of my own.

“Draw your sword. I won’t resort to a cowardly ambush like you. Just as you tested us, I’ll test you and this place.”

“It’s almost time for the Lord to return…”

Despite his words, the man drew his sword. It wasn’t a typical blade for this world. In fact, it bore a striking resemblance to my White Dragon Sword.

“I’ll entertain you for a moment,” he said.

The moment his sword left its sheath, his aura shifted dramatically. At the same time, we both kicked off the ground, unleashing a shockwave that stirred up a dust storm.

Clang!

Our blades clashed violently.

I didn’t use the Tai Baek Snow Dragon Sword. These people were building a nation. It was impossible they hadn’t acquired information about the Azure Wing. Using the Empire’s Light of Dawn Swordsmanship was also off the table.

But it wasn’t an issue. I possessed the memories of countless swordsmen. Switching techniques came as naturally as breathing. I seamlessly transitioned between the Southern Palace Clan’s Sovereign Sword and the Green Forest’s Thunderstrike Blade.

“What the…!”

The man was visibly flustered. For a moment, faint images of swordsmen appeared around my small figure. It felt as if he was battling multiple masters simultaneously.

My sword strikes were unpredictable. Sometimes they hid feints like a snake slithering closer, and other times they tore through the air with raw, destructive force.

The oppressive aura of sovereignty occasionally emanating from me must have reminded him of the Southern Palace Clan.

These weren’t mere imitations of sword forms. Each strike carried depth. It defied reason. How could one person master such a diverse array of techniques? The ability to switch styles so fluidly meant each had been trained to an extraordinary level.

This wasn’t a skill achievable in a single lifetime. It was incomprehensible.

Clang!

The man, after parrying one of my strikes, retreated. He created distance between us, stepping back to where our swords could no longer meet. Was he trying to catch his breath? I tilted my head slightly, but I didn’t let up and closed the gap.

Then, his stance changed. He lowered his body slightly, his feet planted firmly, and raised his sword in a peculiar position. One hand gripped the hilt, while the other supported the blade near the tip.

A thrust?

No, not with this stance—it was difficult to generate power in this position. Then what was he aiming for?

A sense of unease washed over me. My survival instincts, honed through countless battles, screamed a warning.

My body reacted before my mind could process it. As light burst from his hand, I swung my sword upward to deflect it.

Tang!

“Urgh…!”

The impact was enormous. The sheer force behind his strike sent my White Dragon Sword flying from my grip. The sword spun high into the air, scattering sunlight in dazzling arcs.

‘He disarmed me…?’

It wasn’t simply a matter of throwing a sword. In the brief moment when our swords clashed, I could feel the intricate layers of power built into the attack.

The man’s assault wasn’t over yet. The sword that had been launched into the air abruptly halted its trajectory, reversing its direction mid-flight.

Was this the manifestation of Dual Swordsmanship or Self-Guided Blade Technique, legends even among the martial arts of Central Plains? My thoughts didn’t linger long. I had to draw another sword immediately.

Shrring—

The blade I drew in haste was the Moonlight Sword. Without delay, I unleashed a flurry of strikes to intercept the incoming blade.

Clang!

It was as if the sword itself had a will of its own. The power behind it was anything but trivial.

Meanwhile, the man who had thrown the sword stood at a distance, hands clasped behind his back, watching the scene unfold like a spectator.

‘So, he can’t move himself while controlling the blade…’

At that moment, another powerful energy ripple surged toward me. I turned quickly and swung my sword, intercepting a second airborne blade that hurtled toward me.

Clang!

‘Two swords…’

Suddenly, I recalled the stories of the Lord of Ten Thousand Blades, a Reincarnator said to wield ten thousand swords at once. How many blades could this man under him control?

‘I want it…’

I had witnessed a new form of swordsmanship. It wasn’t something that could be imitated simply by observing—it held profound truths, the pinnacle of martial arts. My hands itched with anticipation. I dodged the rapidly approaching flying swords with precise movements.

‘Now…!’

As the second sword came rushing in, I twisted my body, deflecting it with fluid precision. At the same time, I boldly reached out.

Though my timing was slightly off and I grazed my hand on the blade’s edge, I managed to grab the hilt.

Thwack!

The sword I snatched was the one the man had been wearing from the start. The moment my small hand gripped its hilt, memories began to flow into me. The brief life of the man flashed through my mind like a torrent.

Among the fragments of his life, I seized one martial technique.

Absorb, Erupt, Scatter, Shatter.

The technique consisted of four steps. From the memories, I understood that more steps existed, but the man’s lack of talent had limited him to mastering only these four.

Thus, I inherited only those four steps. Immediately, I channeled all my mana. I thrust a foot forward, activating a sudden burst of movement. The storm of mana that erupted from me engulfed the entire area.

In that moment, all the swords nearby—those held by others, those lying scattered, even the three blades I had brought with me—rose into the air as if defying gravity. The swords circling me, controlled by the man, also wavered, breaking free of his command.

Then it happened.

The swords I had taken control of abruptly lost their power and plummeted to the ground.

Someone was approaching.

It was a presence so immense that everyone in the area could feel it. From a location not far from the construction site, an overwhelming aura loomed closer, commanding the attention of all.

“Th-The Lord is coming, it seems. Let’s leave it at this,” the man stammered, his previously confident demeanor cracking as he gestured hurriedly.

With a wave of his hand, the two swords that had been embedded in the ground lifted and returned to him.

I did nothing, merely standing still and focusing my gaze on the direction of the approaching presence.